1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of temperature-control and the transfer of heat from electronic components, and more particularly, to the removal of heat from an integrated circuit mounted on a circuit board of a computing device, and more particularly, to a system for controlling a temperature of a user input device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits in computers, including portable computing devices, generate a significant amount of heat. Typically fans, heat sinks, and heat pipes have been used to dissipate the heat from internal components.
Currently, this heat is “wasted” by channeling it away from the user. That is, there has been no beneficial use of such heat, such as using the heat for warming a user's hands, in cool working environments or the like.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,070, incorporated herein by reference, discloses using heat pipes to divert heat to a plate beneath the keyboard. However, there is no disclosure of any novel airflow designs, or heated palm rests, thereby to keep the user's hands warm. Indeed, the above-mentioned U.S. Patent is not concerned with air flow or palm rests at all, nor variable control of heat directed towards a user's hands.